Can opener



June 24, 1930. c. COTTEN 5% AL 1,766,109

CAN OPENER Filed "Feb. 11:, 1928 INVENTORS. Gzleb Cbizen Israel P Duncan B Y MM I I ATTORNEYS. t

Patented June 24, z

' wheel engaging the underside mm STATES. PATENT PM:

cum; comma, or saw mi: crrir, nun, AND ISRAELI 2. Duncan, or nos enemas,- I.

cannronum, .assrenoas To sun Ismr. r. DUNCAN, as 'rnns'rrm OPENER Application filed ma ii, 192;. Serial No. 253,589. p,

blade 13. The knife blade-is shown herein This invention relates to a device for opening cans by cutting the can end adjacent its juncture with the side wall. Tin cans are commonly constructed 'with the ends secured to the body by a flange or bead overhanging the side wall. The present invention appertains to a can opener having a knife blade which is caused to penetrate the end and to'cut by being drawn along the line of desired severance. vance of the knife is effected b a traction of the bead.

'The objects of this invention are first to provide -a tool of the character described aving arms movable to and from-. each other, oneof said arms carrying a knife blade and the other a traction wheel; second, to provide means for locking the arms with the knife blade in cuttin position; third toprovide means to hold t e traction wheei driving engagement with the bead; fourth, to so position the blade and traction wheel'as to maintain the sidewall outer ed e of the can between the'wheel and blade an thereby avoid displacement; fifth, to provide a blade which'acts by shearin the can'en'd; and sixth, to provide detai s'of structure whereby asimple, compact easily manipulated can opener, positive in operation, durable and economical to manufacture i'sobtained.- a w.

Other'ob'ectsand advantages will be fully apparent rom the following specification considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a canopener indicate arms in .the form together by a pivot termediate the ends of handle IQ is a knife embodying the invention in zpen position; Fig. 2 is a side view showin e opener ap-' plied to a can and locked t fereto; Fi

a section as seen on the line of 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan view; Fig. 5 is an elevation from the opposite side to that of Fig. 2

r 7 showing a fragment of the cuttin end; and '45 Fig. 6 is a sect'on as seen on 51o broken line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Referring with more particularity to the drawings, 10 and-11 of handles secured sin 12 so that, the arms may be swung to an from each other. ,I n-

asbeing detachable andsecured to the blade by a screw 14. It is ofi'set as indicated by 15 so as to position the blade in the lane of the handle. The shearin edge is inc ined asindicated by 16. This e ge may be com-.

for t e passage of the knife bladetherebracket extends downwardly through. The at a slight inclination outward from the plane of handle 11. There is I an inwardly extending foot or of the bracket.

Journalled in the bracket 18 is a shaft projection 21 at the end- 22 havin fixed thereto a traction wheel 23.

On the s aft is a collar 24 to prevent longitudinal displacement of the shaft 22. ecured to the shaft is an operating wing mem-' ber 25 for driving the traction wheel. It

will be noted that the planes of the knife blade and traction wheel are oifset from one another and when in closed ornear position of the'handles', the blade overlaps the driving wheel. r The can opener shown is of the portable type, but it will be understood that the in- 'vention is not limited-to a portable can opener. In thebeginning of operation, the

handles are open or in far position as shown in 1, the 'end of the blade 13 being space I I wheel 23; The opener is then ositioned with the bracket 18 along side ,0 the side wall 26 of a can, the foot 21 egga ing'the can and with the bead'27 dispos a ove'the traction wheel so that the teeth thereon will engage the underside of the bead. The knife blade 13 overhangs the bead inwardly and above thecan to closed, causing t e blade 13 to' enetrate the can top 'on the inside of the ad and the traction wheel to ress against the underside .of the head ont e outside of the can. In closed position the side wall of the can at its from the periphery of the traction 28. Next the handles are end is disposed between the overlapping blade and traction wheel and the can opener I locked to the can is held against lateral displacement. holding of the o erator in this respect, we have provided 'a engagin a recess 32 The lea spring tends to maintain the pm in and recess are registered. The result is t at when the ban-- dles are brought together inclosed position, v the pin and recess'registering, the pin will ock. Mounted upon handle 11 is a leaf spring 29 secured tothe handle at one end. Secured to the leaf spring is a m 31 operating in an aperture in the ban e for in the other handle 10.

in the recess 32 when the be caused to osition itself in the recess and lock the handles together, the spring holding them in this position. In order to release the handle, a thumb piece 33 is secured to the end of the spring member and is so fulcrumed upon the handles, that by pressure u on the thumb piece the pin will be lifted rom the recess. It is within the sco e of the invention to employ any suitable loc ing means. I

A bowed leaf sprin 34 secured at one end to the handle 11 at the bracket and engaging at its free end the handle 10 tends to 0 en the handles. This spring also serves anot er function, that of res1lientl{)eholding the traction wheel against the noted that as the ad by pressing the can end. Itwill be handles are closed the spring is pressed toward the traction wheel, When the handles are not" in closed position downwardly upon 2 the sprin acts to maintain the traction drivdescribed and the position. When the handles have reached their near or closed 1 ates to maintain the upon the top in relation between the traction wheel 23 and the head of can 27. When the opener and can are moved in cutting operation spring 34 frictionally slides along the can end. Assuming that the handles are 0 en, the can opener isap lied to the canes be ore andles swung to closed osition, the lock operandles closed. At the same time the sprin 34 presses downwardly traction wheel ing memberisnow turned in the right hand direction. In'operating the can opener itmay be found convenient "to hold the opener afterit has been locked in place and allowthe can to be turned. Turning of the driva tendency to tilt the to engaging said arms are locked in near position,

of t e can to maintain the. against the head. The driv-* ing member will cause re ation to the opener, will shear'the can end 28, completely severing the same. Due to the shearing actlon and inclination of the blade edge 16 there is' and when cutting the severed end is has been about complete it can be grasped tilted upwardly so that and lifted from the can rather than falling into the can where it is comparatively inaccessible.

What we claim is 2- the can to turn in and the knife blade 1. A can opener comprising; apair of lever arms movable to and from each other, a knife blade on one of saidarms for penetrating and cutting a can end, a traction wheel on the other arm disposed in a plane offset from the lane of said blade for the un erside of a can head, a catch to lock said arms together with said wheel and-blade in' near position, resilient means on one of said arms opposite to said wheel to. frictionally press said wheel against the underside of said bead wherdi means to drive said wheel. I

' 2. A can opener comprising a pair of handles pivotally connected so as to be swung to and from each other, a knife blade on one of said handles for penetrating and cuttin a can end, a traction wheel on the other andle disposed in a lane ofiset from the plane of said blade fbr engaging the underside of a can head, resilient-means on one of said arms facing said wheel to frictionally press said wheel against the under-- side of said bead when said arms are in near position, and means to drive said wheel.

. 3. Acan opener comprising a pair of lever arms movable to and from each other, a knife blade on one of said arms for penetrating and cutting a can end a traction wheel on the other arm disposed in a plane position, yieldable means for bearing against the can opposite to said wheel to frictionally press said wheel a ainst the underside of latter whenisaid handles are in near bead and disposed with relation 13088.1( blade so as to overlap the 0S1? tion, means to lock said handlestogaher Ill said head when sai arms are in near posiat" W wheel.

- resilient derside of said with said wheel and blade in near position, means 0 posed to and facing said wheel to y press said wheel against the unbead when said arms are in near position, and means can opener comprising a lever arms movable to and from eac a knife blade having an inclined advance edge for shearing a can end on one of said arms a traction wheel on the other arm disposed in a plane ofi'set from the plane of said blade for engaging theunderside of a can bead, a leaf s ring on the arm carrying air of said wheel and acing the latter to press said wheel against the under side of said bead, and (means to drive said traction 6. A can 0 ener comprising handles ivotally joined so as to be swung to. and rom each other, a knife blade projecting inwardly from one of said handles, an ofi'set bracket on the other of said handles havin' aledge in alignment with said blade an an opening for the passage of the blade therethrough, a traction wheel 'ournalled on said bracket with its plane 0 plane of said blade, means to drive said wheel a bowed spring can engaging member disposed on the handle carrying said traction wheel for resiliently pressm against the can end and holding said whee in drivmg relation with the underside of the can v bead, means to lock said handles together in near position, and means to drive said wheel. I

7. A- can opener comprising a pair of lever arms movable to and from each other, a blade for cutting a can end on one arm, a traction wheel on the other arm in a plane offset from the plane of said blade for engaging the underside of a can bead, a leaf spring mounted on the arm carrying said wheel and facing the latter to press said wheel against the under side the free end ofsaid spring engaging the arm carrying said blade so as to be pressed toward said wheel on' closing movement of said arms, and means to drive said traction wheel.

In witness that we claim the foregoing we have hereunto subscribed our names this 31st day of January, 1928.

CALEB GOTTEN. ISRAEL P. DUNCAN.

to drive said wheel.-

other, I

set from the I of said bead, 

